Milwaukee's transit debate: Streetcar desire vs. disaster

Mayor touts economic benefits, but critics say plan sure to run off rails

October 25, 2012|By Richard Wronski, Chicago Tribune reporter

Ald. Bob Donovan said he'd rather see the money go toward improving Milwaukee's streets or existing bus system. Bringing back streetcars isn't going to address any needs, he believes.

"I just feel this is a waste of money," said Donovan, who represents the city's South Side. "I've been an alderman 12 years now. I've gotten calls on everything under the sun. I've never gotten a call saying, 'What Milwaukee needs is to bring back the streetcars.'"

Donovan has sought unsuccessfully to have the council approve a referendum on the proposal.

"In my opinion, this 64 million bucks is burning a hole in the mayor's back pocket and he's bound and determined to spend it," Donovan said.

Opposition also is coming from two organizations, the John K. MacIver Institute for Public Policy, a free-market think tank based in Madison, and Americans for Prosperity, the conservative political advocacy group headquartered in Arlington, Va.

Americans for Prosperity has created a website of its own, astreetcarnameddisaster.com.

In a 25-page report prepared for the MacIver Institute, streetcar critic O'Toole challenges the cost and benefits that proponents say would come from the Milwaukee system.

"The plan to build a streetcar line in downtown Milwaukee is a pure and simple scam," O'Toole wrote. "The only beneficiaries will be the engineering and construction firms who design and build the line."

Downtown landowners and developers will benefit only if the city decides to "throw hundreds of millions of dollars of additional subsidies" at the project, O'Toole said. "Everyone else in Milwaukee will pay," he concluded.

Opponents have taken their fight to the Wisconsin Public Service Commission, which regulates utilities, because underground service lines would have to be relocated on streetcar routes. This would add tens of millions to the cost.

Foes argue that the relocation costs will be borne unfairly by utility ratepayers. The commission hasn't made a final ruling but indicated last month that it might require the city and utility companies to share the costs.

Meanwhile, at the Milwaukee Public Market, one of the main attractions in the Third Ward, shopkeepers are excited about the prospect of streetcars rolling in with more customers.

"It's amazing to me how many people who live locally still haven't spent much time downtown or in the Third Ward or even been to the public market," said Phil Bilodeau, proprietor of the Thief Wine Shop.

"I think anything that would make it more accessible to people is great."

Others aren't sold.

"I think it's an interesting idea, but I don't know if it's a good idea. It depends on how much money and effort they have to spend on it," said Stephen Ladish, 31. "I think it would be more for show than anything."